[He winces, but nothing happens to Ironhide. Then again, should he be all that surprised? But if even the old man says something's up...]

Do you feel...off, or anything?

No kidding..! And you said you can't transform either. When did you notice it?

And nothing weird happened to you before then?

...yeah. That doesn't make any sense.

[He shakes his head.]

Not really, no. I did come across this humanoid robot who looked like he's had better days, so I was wondering if that weird sickness was still going around. Other than that...

I gave him a lift to the clinic so he could get checked up on.

[Not to mention the automaton got sick and spewed oil all over his interior, which, while it was a matter taken care of, was not one Hot Rod ever wishes to experience again.]

If there was, no one's bothered to tell me.

[Sigh.]

Yeah. I don't think I've heard anyone else complaining about not feeling well, otherwise...

...something.

[He runs a hand over his face.]

I've been meaning to talk to you about something, but maybe we should figure out what's going on here, first.

Oh, um.

[Well, he's a little relieved to hear that a medic will be checking up on old 'hide, at least. Nodding, Hot Rod considers before locking the transmission.]

...I was made one of Prima's initiates.

I-

-well, he had to have chosen me for a reason, right? And...I thought if I could make a difference, or just be of some help around here, especially with all these expectations some seem to have of me-

[He just sort of...throws his hands up helplessly.]

...do you think I made the wrong decision..?

Megatronus? Really?

[He remembers when that fine line of black had appeared around his glyph, and his concerns in drawing that particular Firstforged's attention. Prima had told him that it hadn't necessarily meant anything bad, that there were just certain traits...]

I don't know what I have to compare to. I'd been able to speak with him face-to-face a couple times before that summons, sure. At first I thought he only humored me because he wanted to keep a close eye on someone who had originally showed up here without a glyph.

...but he genuinely wants this place to prosper, even if it's turned out a lot differently from what they might have planned.

Can't blame you there...

...but yeah. I guess I do trust Prima.